Improvement in the modes of



Whlesses) Inventor).

METERS. PnoYtLLITNoGRAFHlR, WASHINGTON. Il@

, `UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD R. MOFFATT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MODES OF APPLYING MOTIVE POWER T O MACHINERY.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 110,268. dated Dccembcr20, 1670.

.To all whom. tm/ay concer/t:

Be it known that I, RICHARD R. Morrnrr, ofthe city of Brooklyn, countyof Kings, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Methods of Applying Motive-Power to Machinery, Snc., ofwhich the following is a specification.

The nature of this invention consists in a novel manner of applyingpower and giving continuous motion to 'a wheel by means of a pistonwhich passesthrough the center or axis of said wheel. Upon the surfaceof the piston are spiral grooves, which extend longitudinally the samedistance that is given to the stroke of the piston by the action of thesteam in the cylinder. rIhese grooves extend laterally, at the same timemaking one-half a revolution around the piston in the length of thegrooves. The grooves are then reversed and continued back to the pointof starting, at the same time making one-half a revolution on the othersurface of the piston, which makes a continuous groove around thesurface of the piston. On the inner surface of the hub of the wheel arepins or projections, which fit in the grooves upon the piston in such. amanner that when the piston is forced through the hub forward andbackward the entire length of the stroke, the wheel will revolvecontinuously as the pins slide upon the incline surface of the grooveson the piston. By reversing the action of the piston when at any pointbetween the ends of its stroke, the motion of the wheel is also reversedand caused to revolve in an op -Y posite direction. By this method ofapplying power an even and continuous pressure is communicated to thewheel, which is not the case in the crank-motion now in general use.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification,Figure l represents an engine constructed on my plan, and showing theiiy or driving wheel in section. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of thepiston. Fig. 3

` is aview showing part of the piston, and taken upon aline at rightangles from the view`ofpistonas seen in Fig. 1. j

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willdescribe its construction and mode of operation. t

In the drawings, A represents an enginecylinder. B is the piston. B isthat part of the piston which moves in the hub of the wheel G.

vforward and backward once.

secured to the hub of the wheel.

Upon the surface of the piston B are grooves i, which extendlongitudinally in a spiral manner, making a distance the entire lengthofthe stroke, and at the same time one-half the distance around thepiston B. rIhese grooves are then reversed and continued back to thepoint of starting, and making another one-half of the distance aroundthe piston, which forms a continuous groove,extending upon the'pistonhead B the length of the stroke, and at the same time the entiredistance around the piston-head back to the point of starting.

e is av guide upon the piston, which slides .upon the face of the bed F,and thus prevents the piston from turning as it is being forced throughthe wheel forward and backward.

In the operation of a machine constructed as above described,amore evenapplication of power is con-v eyed than upon the crank-motion now somuch in use, and the solid piston is more simple in its construction andoperation.

To reverse the motion ofthe wheel,the engine is stopped when the pistonis at any point between the extremities of its stroke'. The action ormotion ofthe piston is then reversed,and the wheel thus caused torevolve in an opposite di'- rection continuously as the piston movesforward and backward the entire length of the stroke.

If desired,the grooves upon the piston may be constructed so as to makebut one-quarter the distance around the surface of the piston in itsentire length, which is the same as the stroke, and another quarter onits return ,mak- `ing one-half a revolution as the piston moves Thegrooves are continued forward and backward in like manner, making theother half of a revolution and at the saine time a continuous groove.The wheel will then revolve once as the piston is forced forward andbackward twice. By this method extra pins may be applied, whichprojectfrom the opposite surface of the hub of the wheel and t into and operatein the grooves.

The grooves and pins may be reversed, if desired, so that the pins areupon the surface of the piston and the grooves upon the inner surface ofthe hub. The grooves may be also made upon the accellerating system, ifdesired.

This improvement is Well adapted for screwpropellers7 as the action ofthe piston is as direct upon the screw as upon the Wheel; and also forlocomotives, &c., as then the cylinder is placed between thedriving-Wheels,\vith the piston Working through both heads of thecylinder, each end of the piston passing through the center hub or axisof the driving-Wheels, and as the grooves upon either end of the pistonare in opposite directions, the Wheels revolve both in one und the saunedirection continuously.

Having thus fully described the nature and operation of my invention, Idesire to secure by Letters Ifatent- Giving continuous motion to awheel,screwpropeller, Snc., by means of a piston which passes through or Worksin the hub or axis of the Wheel, substantially as and for the purposeherein set forth.

R. R. MOFFATT.

Vitnesses:

HENRY A. RICE, ALEX. XV. HARRIs.

